The absorption mechanisms of whistler waves in cool, dense, cylindrically bounded plasmas

Journal Article · Mon Nov 01 04:00:00 EST 1993 · Physics of Fluids B; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.860609· OSTI ID:6072117

Harvey, B M; Lashmore-Davies, C N ^[1]

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1. AEA Technology, Fusion, Culham (Euratom/UKAEA Fusion Association), Abingdon, Oxon OX14 3DB (United Kingdom)

It can be shown that whistler waves with low parallel phase velocity can be subject to strong cyclotron damping, even when the wave frequency is well below the cyclotron frequency. This resonance arises as a result of the Doppler effect which is proportional to the plasma density and increases the frequency experienced by electrons moving in the opposite direction to the wave. In this paper the dispersion relation of whistler waves in a cylindrically bounded plasma is obtained and then solved. This geometry is desirable for its relevance to experiment and also for comparison with theoretical results by other authors. In addition to cyclotron damping, Landau damping as well as electron--ion, electron--electron, and electron--neutral collisions are all included thus enabling the relative importance of these damping mechanisms to be evaluated. The dispersion relation that is obtained is used to explore the transition from Landau dominated damping to cyclotron dominated damping.

• OSTI ID: 6072117
• Journal Information: Physics of Fluids B; (United States), Journal Name: Physics of Fluids B; (United States) Vol. 5:11; ISSN 0899-8221; ISSN PFBPEI
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
700340* -- Plasma Waves
Oscillations
& Instabilities-- (1992-)
700350 -- Plasma Production
Heating
Current Drive
& Interactions-- (1992-)
ABSORPTION
COLD PLASMA
COLLISIONS
CONFIGURATION
CYLINDRICAL CONFIGURATION
DAMPING
DISPERSION RELATIONS
DOPPLER EFFECT
ELECTRON COLLISIONS
ELECTRON-ELECTRON COLLISIONS
ELECTRON-ION COLLISIONS
HEATING
HOMOGENEOUS PLASMA
INSTABILITY
ION COLLISIONS
LANDAU DAMPING
PLASMA
PLASMA HEATING
PLASMA INSTABILITY
PLASMA MACROINSTABILITIES
SORPTION
WHISTLER INSTABILITY